The Spotlight
January 2009 - Immedium
1. News
2. Reviews
3. Events
1. NEWS
A. Ring in 2009 with a Mooo!
---
Enjoy a second new year on January 26th and grab your cow bell to celebrate The Year of the Ox.
We're pleased to introduce the fourth in our annual series Tales from the Chinese Zodiac and its periwinkle star Olivia. She joins Ralph the Rat, Patty the Pig, and Daniel the Dog in our expanding pantheon of lunar heroes.
"The illustrations are charming, and they remind me of John Kricfalusi and his Ren and Stimpy show."
- Supah Cute
Oxen just wanna have fun, so have a cow with Olivia and her "adopted" sister, the girl Mei! Artist Jeremiah Alcorn creates a fantastic new cast of characters in author Oliver Chin's expanding universe. Join the creators as they share this tale throughout the land, such as in San Francisco's Japantown this Saturday 1/10 and Kepler's bookstore in Menlo Park, CA on Sunday 1/18.
In appreciation of your support, buy all four books in the series from us (autographed by the author) and get FREE shipping and a FREE Year of the Dog poster! This is a special limited time offer.
Have a great 4706 (or 2009 if that makes you feel younger).
B. The Octonauts go BoingBoing
---
BoingBoing is a weblog of cultural curiosities and is ranked as one of the top blogs in the world (as measured by Technorati.com). Naturally it was only a matter of time before BoingBoing declared on 12/30/08 that everybody needed to read the Octonauts!
"All hold the attention of the grownups, the teenager, and the school-age tike in the house. Seriously, everyone should run out and get these. But how to describe the books? They're cute and creative. There's a hip Japanese influence and engaging storylines. The 6-year-old says, 'They live under the sea in a big Octopod. They're cool. They have adventures.' Nuff said."
- BoingBoing
All three books (Only Lonely Monster, Sea of Shade, and Frown Fish) are attracting fans worldwide and the creators Meomi have boffo plans for 2009!
So if you haven't already, take a joy ride with the Octonauts because undersea is the place to be.
C. Artist Jeff Miracola is right on TARGET!
---
Before Jeff whipped up the wild menagerie of beasts who inhabit our new book Welcome to Monster Isle, he created the Tiki-inspired art for Electronic Arts' Mini-Golf video game. Now this is available for download on the Apple iPod via iTunes. Play it and discover where the inspiration for the colorful design of Monster Isle may have come from.
Plus Jeff's high rolling illustration for a customized Target GiftCard is on sale at their retail stores nationwide. It took Jeff 17 drafts to get the final version approved, which means two things.
- First, Jeff is a good natured perfectionist.
- Second, Immedium is a lot easier to work with than Target, and Jeff did way more drawings for Monster Isle!
Check out Jeff's blog at http://www.jeffmiracola.com/blog/.
2. REVIEWS
Julie Black Belt
(ISBN: 1-59702-009-1, $15.95)
"Here's another book that is perfect if you want to get younger children into comics. Plus it's a positive story for female readers, an audience that is never given enough attention in comics. Julie Black Belt follows a rambunctious and impatient young girl who aspires to become a kung fu champion, but just doesn't have the patience to put the time and energy into what it takes to earn a black belt. The story is a lesson in determination, persistence, and resolve. It's a positive tale that encourages hard work and persistence and its entertaining and charming to boot. Written by Oliver Chin and illustrated by Charlene Chua, this book does a good job of teaching the discipline of martial arts and the lesson that hard work pays off."
- Ain't it Cool News
---
Timmy and Tammy's Train of Thought
(ISBN: 1-59702-008-4, $15.95)
"Holiday Gift Guide 2008: Gifts for little train lovers: Timmy and Tammy's Train of Thought is a nicely illustrated story about a brother and sister who love trains and finally get to ride one, or is it all in their imagination? It's a fun adventure that children will enjoy. All types of trains from subways to cargo trains are illustrated in the story too."
- Examiner.com
3. EVENTS
JANUARY
- 1/4: Oliver Chin: YOO: Bowers Museum - Kidseum, 12:30 pm.
- 1/10: Oliver Chin: YOO: Oshogatsu Matsuri - New Year Celebration: JCCCNC, 1840 Sutter Street, Suite 201, San Francisco, CA, 415-567-5505, 11 am.
- 1/12: Oliver Chin: YOO: Yew Chung International School, 310 Easy Street, Mountain View, CA 94043, 10 am.
- 1/18: Oliver Chin: YOO: Kepler's: 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA, (650) 324-4321, 11:30 am.
- 1/20: Elaine Chu: YOO: Kensington Public Library, 61 Arlington Ave, CA, (510) 524-3043, 7 pm.
- 1/21: Oliver Chin: YOO: Bunker Hill School, 2145 Bunker Hill Drive, San Mateo, CA,(650) 349-1581, 10 am.
- 1/21: Oliver Chin: YOO: Dougherty Station Library, 17017 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon, CA 94582, (925) 973-3380, 6:15 pm.
- 1/23: Oliver Chin: YOO: McKinley Elementary School, 1025 14th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114, am.
- 1/24: Oliver Chin: YOO: Books Inc: 2251 Chestnut Street, San Francisco, CA, 415-931-3633, 11 am.
- 1/24: Oliver Chin: YOO: Albany Public Library: 1247 Marin Avenue, Albany, CA 94706, 2:30 pm.
- 1/25: Oliver Chin: YOO: Oakland Museum: 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, California, 510-238-2200, 1 pm.
- 1/26: Oliver Chin: YOO: San Pablo Public Library, 2300 El Portal Dr. Suite D, San Pablo Community Resource Center, CA, 510-374-3998, 7 pm.
- 1/28: Oliver Chin: YOO: South San Francisco Public Library, 840 West Orange Ave, 4 pm.
- 1/29: Oliver Chin: YOO: Commodore Sloat Elementary School, 50 Darien Way, San Francisco, CA 94127, am.
- 1/31: Oliver Chin: YOO: Families with Children from China -Northern California: Between Two New Years Celebration, Mill Valley Community Center, 1 pm.
- 1/31: Oliver Chin: YOO: Marin Chinese Culture Association, San Rafael, CA, 5:30 pm
FEBRUARY
- 2/1: Oliver Chin: YOO: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Family Art Encounter, 1 pm.
- 2/4: Oliver Chin: YOO: Saratoga Public Library, 13650 Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga, CA, 3:45 pm.
- 2/6: Oliver Chin: YOO: West Portal Elementary School, 5 Lenox Way, San Francisco, CA, 94127, 9:20 am.
- 2/7: Oliver Chin: ACL Performers' Showcase, Fremont Main Library, CA.
- 2/8: Oliver Chin: YOO: Golden Gate Conservancy: Crissy Field Warming Hut Bookstore/Cafe, San Francisco, CA, (415) 561-3040, 1-3 pm.
- 2/8: Oliver Chin: YOO: San Francisco Symphony, Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., CA (415) 552-8000, 4 pm.
- 2/8: Oliver Chin: YOO: Chinese Cultural Education Association, Lake Merritt Church, 1255 First Avenue, Oakland, CA, 4 pm.
- 2/9: Oliver Chin: YOO: Redondo Beach Public Library: 303 N. Pacific Coast Highway, CA (310) 318-0676, 10:30 am.
- 2/10: Oliver Chin: YOO: Los Angeles Public Library: Chinatown Branch, 639 N. Hill Street, CA, (213) 620-0925, 10:30 am
- 2/11: Oliver Chin: YOO: Culver City Julian Dixon Library: 4975 Overland Ave., CA (310) 559-1676, 11 am.
- 2/11: Oliver Chin: YOO: East Los Angeles Library, 4837 E. Third St., Los Angeles, CA, (323) 264-0155, 4:30 pm
- 2/12: Oliver Chin: Comics Workshop: City Terrace Library, 4025 E. City Terrace Drive, Los Angeles, CA, (323) 261-0295, 4 pm
- 2/14: Oliver Chin: YOO: Families with Children from China, Los Angeles, CA, 5 pm.
- 2/15: Oliver Chin: Comics Workshop: Valencia Public Library, 23743 W. Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, CA, (661) 259-8942, 1 pm
- 2/16: Oliver Chin: YOO: Bay Area Discovery Museum: 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito, CA, 415-339-3900.
- 2/19: Oliver Chin: Comics Workshop: Albany Public Library: 1247 Marin Avenue, Albany, CA 94706, 3:30 pm.
- 2/28: Oliver Chin: YO0: Redwood Empire Chinese Association, Veterans Memorial Building, 1351 Maple Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95404, 5 pm.
---
Cherish the gift of the imagination and the warmth of friends and family this season.
Immedium
P.O. Box 31846
San Francisco, CA 94131
orders@immedium.com
Immedium, Inc. inspires a world of imagination, and creates entertaining books that have multi-dimensional appeal. Based in San Francisco, CA, Immedium sits on the Pacific Rim, a vibrant intersection for crossover cultural trends from Asia and America. Embracing an increasingly diverse and "multimedia" world, Immedium publishes titles ranging from eye-catching children's books and contemporary non-fiction to commentaries on art and popular culture. Visit us at www.immedium.com.